Boat



"Jan. 24, 1928\- 1,657,180

- F. B. ROBERTS BOAT Filed April 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet- Jan. 24?

F. B. ROBERTS BOAT Filed April 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 5 mum/V601,

Gffo zum a.

Patented Jan. 24, 1928,

UNITED sTA ss PATENT OFFICE. I

FRANK BENJAMIN BGBERTS, 0F EUGENE, OREGON.

BOAT.

Application filed April 9, 1925.

contact with the water, thereby reducing the resistance to the movement of the paddle wheel, to the minimum.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of aboat con structed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view through the boat.

Figure 3 is a sectional view through one of the paddle wheels.

Figure 4 is a sectional view through one of the forward paddle wheels.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a sectional view through one of the pontoons.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the body portion of the boat is in the form of a pontoon 5 which is formed with a central cut out portion to accommodate the paddle wheels. Bearing members 6 are provided at the rear of the cut out portions and accommodate the shaft 7, on which the paddle wheels 8 are secured.

Each paddle wheel is hollow as clearly shown by Figure 5 of the drawings and embodies the central tubular member 9 and an outer member 10, the outer member being secured to the tubular member by means of the end walls 11. The outer member 10' is formed with offset portions 12, the offset portions 12 presenting walls 13 curved. trans versely of their lengths providing blades that contact with the water to force the boat over the water.

Serial No. 21,920.

In each tubular member 9 of the rear paddle wheels are the bars 14 that connect the paddle wheels to the shaft 7, the shaft 7 being supplied with a suitable ring gear 15 that meshes with the pinion 16 of the drive shaft 17 that receives rotary motion from the engine 18, as through the shaft 19 and gearing 20.

The forward paddle wheels also include a tubular members 21 in which the securing members 22 are positioned, which securing members have connection with the stub shafts 23 that are pivotally supported at the outer ends of the shaft 2 1, the connection between the shaft 2% and stub shafts 23 being such as to permit the forward propeller wheels to pivot in horizontal planes to accomplish the steering of the boat.

Rods 25 have connection with the stub shafts 23 which in turn are connected with the steering rod 26 that carries the usual steering wheel 27 on the outer end thereof, the steering wheel being disposed in proximity to the operators seat to permit the boat to be controlled with efficiency.

Disposed intermediate the ends of the paddle wheels are blades 28 which blades prevent lateral movement of the paddle wheels or sliding thereof to hold the boat to its course.

From the foregoing it will be seen that due to the construction as shown and described, the paddle wheels which are hollow, assist in supporting the weight of the boat proper and at the same time allow only the propelling portionsthereof to move through the water thereby reducing the resistance to a minimum.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is:

1. In a boat construction, a body portion comprising a pontoon having a central cut out portion, transversely extending shafts disposed adjacent to the ends of the cut out portion, paddle wheels on the shafts, each paddle wheel comprising a central tubular member, an outer member having offset portions defining shoulders, means at the ends of the tubular members for connecting. the tubular members and outer members providing air compartments, and means for transmitting movement to the shafts and paddle wheels.

2. In a boat construction, a body portion having a central cut out portion, shafts extending transversely of the body portion and disposed adjacent to the ends of the body portion, paddle Wheels supported on the shafts and operating within the out out por- 5 tion of the body portion, means for imparting rotary movement to the shafts and paddle wheels, and means for supporting the paddle wheels at one end of the cut out portion to permit movement thereof in horizontal planes.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature.

FRANK BENJAMIN ROBERTS. 

